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First Annual Internal Medicine Suitcase Party
The promise of an all-paid, pager-less, 3-day vacation was all the internal medicine residents needed before deciding to kick in the $25 for a chance to win the raffle at the 1st annual "Suitcase Party." Originally organized to send someone to the Caribbean during the long, cold winters on the east coast, Jamie Cowan organized several of these parties while in college and grad school. He brought his sense of fun and adventure with him when he came to the UW Internal Medicine Residency Program and decided that, with some small changes, the concept could be customized for the residents.
The Zoo Tavern was the location for the party on Friday, March 27. Certainly most, if not all of the attendees, had already dreamed of where they would spend their vacation when they won the raffle. Interestingly enough, after all his work organizing the event, Jamie was pulled for risk and with a good attitude went to work knowing he would miss the party and the drawing. Later that evening, he got a page saying that he had won the drawing. Thinking  that someone was pulling a fast one on him, he didn’t believe it until he received page after page congratulating him. Although it didn’t go unnoticed that the organizer had won the event, chief resident, Scott Steiger, assured Jamie that he won the contest fair and square so before rounds on Saturday, he got on the computer and looked for a place to go spend his winnings.
After finishing his shift, he jumped in his car and drove the 5 hours to Whistler. How do you spend over $1800 in one short weekend alone? Jamie didn’t have any problem with that. He decided to go heli-skiing where he made seven runs going down 30,000 vertical feet. Later that evening, he met up with  his new heli-skiing buddies who helped him spend down his winnings. The next day, he went skiing with a group called Extremely Canadian. As Jamie put it, they are “8 insanely good skiers – a few of whom were in Warren Miller films.” Jamie also added, “we had two guides, one who went first to show us the way, and the second to pick up the pieces.” With money still burning a hole in his pocket, not to mention some very tired muscles, Jamie went for a massage and a milk bath.
Obviously, Jamie knows how to make use of his winnings. This whole thing could not have come together without the full support of the chiefs who accepted the challenge to organize coverage for the winning resident and also with the support of the Residency Office. Congratulations, Jamie! See all of Jamie's Whistler photos |
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